It comes second to Itachi's death (in which I bawled my eyes out both times I read it )

I had just returned from camping and immediately went to reading Naruto and FMA, assuming that 3 weeks of not doing so would bring me a couple new chapters. Here was my experience:

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I get really emotional when I read manga because I actually connect to the characters.For those who are up-to-date, I cried when I saw that Naruto met his mother. It was a "FINALLY!" moment and I was truly happy for him. As i wiped my tears away, I typed in FMA and saw that it had a new chapter. "Yaay" I thought. I was left devastated at the cliffhanger in the previous chapter and worried that Alphonse would have to wait for Ed to get him for a long time. After reading the chapter, I started to notice something odd about it. It seemed to be progressing... really fast. I looked at the chapter title to prove my suspicions wrong but found myself yelling in despair. "Journey's end" it said. I still couldnt believe it so I went to the FMA cover page and saw that the status said "complete". Even after finishing everything, I still can't beleive it's over. I feel that i dreamed it. :blink:Here are some things i thought immediately when i finished the series:

1: Alphonse-kun's hotness: 'nough said. I fangirl squealed when i saw him. I've been waiting for this moment for the LONGEST time. I just read this chapter today, not even thinking it would be close to done. When I realized it, i was on page 23 and I yelled, "Noooooooooh!!" It took a while to absorb and even a visit to the FMA page to check if the status said "complete" or "incomplete." I was reading it on onemanga, so that's how i knew. Anyway, I fell more in love with Alphonse seeing him in his body. Hanyaan...<3 Aru-kun... Anyway i heard a lot of readers beleived that one of the babies Ed and Winry were holding were Mei and Aru-kun's, which I DENY with my heart and soul. Being the jealous fangirl I am, I fumed at the idea of an Aru/Mei pairing. . He's mine~!
2. The truth: I wish there was more about the "truth" guy. He has been portrayed as a bad guy--with that creepy smile of his--for most of the series, and I kinda wanted to know more about him. Who is he? "I am "God", truth, the world, i am you." Okay, i get it... But a little more of him would have been nice
3. Why was the last chapter so long? I mean, i wish that Arakawa-sensei had taken her time more on the ending more. I like it but... I feel that it was too rushed. There are so many things that could have happened in its own chapter but instead, it was put together in 80ish pages.
4. So... what about Pinako's past? There was a little indication of it but I wish to have learned more about her :3 she was funny and I loved the humor of the old guy's face who trembled at discovering Winry was her granddaughter (What was his name?)

5. Arakawa's contact info to tell her how awesome she is. TT^TT Seriously. Its amazing how much research she has put into this manga and how she has applied the concepts of alchemy into her story, making it more fun for readers our age to follow along. I just finished reading "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho (great book; strongly reccommend it) and the whole idea of Alchemy is amazing. After my last click, I was left in awe. This story is definately memorable and I wish it never ended. I always looked forward to reading a new chapter. I'll miss that part of my life -.-' Oh well... I still have Naruto..

Am I the only one that doesn't think all the loose ends were tied up? I think Al, Ed and Hohenheim's character plotlines ended well, but what about the whole FMA-universe? That was kind of left as a big question mark... what is the state of Amestris and Xing? There was no real ending for Mustang either. Basically, I loved the way Arakawa wrapped up Ed and Al's storylines, but I still think there are a lot of unanswered questions about their "world" and the future of it, the Gate, and even "Father" and the reason he existed in the first place, what "god" really is, etc. I think a lot of the big questions that were there throughout the story went unanswered, but as fans it was easy to overlook because of the satisfying ending for the characters.

Also, the one thing that nagged me throughout the whole series was the idea of the "human sacrifices" in Al, Ed, Izumi, Hohenheim, and (against his will) Mustang. It was just way too convenient that ONLY such a few amount of people ever attempted human transmutation in ALL the years from when "Father" wiped out all the people of Xerxes. The idea that the number of people that saw the Gate were so few, all lived at the same time (there weren't people before that did it so Father could have carried out his plans then), etc. (not to mention the fact that they all knew one another), was just TOO convenient. It was the only part of the plot that really came across as forced.

Am I the only one that doesn't think all the loose ends were tied up? I think Al, Ed and Hohenheim's character plotlines ended well, but what about the whole FMA-universe? That was kind of left as a big question mark... what is the state of Amestris and Xing? There was no real ending for Mustang either. Basically, I loved the way Arakawa wrapped up Ed and Al's storylines, but I still think there are a lot of unanswered questions about their "world" and the future of it, the Gate, and even "Father" and the reason he existed in the first place, what "god" really is, etc. I think a lot of the big questions that were there throughout the story went unanswered, but as fans it was easy to overlook because of the satisfying ending for the characters.

Also, the one thing that nagged me throughout the whole series was the idea of the "human sacrifices" in Al, Ed, Izumi, Hohenheim, and (against his will) Mustang. It was just way too convenient that ONLY such a few amount of people ever attempted human transmutation in ALL the years from when "Father" wiped out all the people of Xerxes. The idea that the number of people that saw the Gate were so few, all lived at the same time (there weren't people before that did it so Father could have carried out his plans then), etc. (not to mention the fact that they all knew one another), was just TOO convenient. It was the only part of the plot that really came across as forced.

I dont think they were the only ones who attempted it, but rather they were the only people who survived at a time when the nation wide circle was complete or near complete, Izumi says to Ed that he was a genius just for surviving human transmutation not for seeing the truth. and in one of the ova's they meet an alchemist who went blind from a failed transmutation of his friends granddaughter.